82 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IL 



Saturnia pyretorum, Westwood. 



This species was originally described by Westwood (Cab. Or. Ent., 

 p. 49, pi. 24, fig. 2, 1848) from China, and was noticed by Hutton 

 (Journ. Agri. Hort. Soc. India, III, p. 125, 1871) as occurring in Sik- 

 kim and Cachar; there seems, however, to be some doubt as to whether 

 it extends into India. In China, according to the resume given by Ron- 

 dot {IS Art de la Soie,lI, 1887, p. 205), the caterpillar is of medium size, 

 longitudinally streaked with bright turquoise blue, alternating with 

 canary yellow, and covered with bristling yellow hairs; it feeds chiefly 

 upon the Liqnidambar formosana and camphor trees. The cocoon is 

 ovoid, much produced in length, pointed, open at one end, and sur- 

 rounded with floss, which is deep brown in color. The silk is silver grey 

 or brownish grey in color, coarse and very tough ; it is said to be used on 

 a considerable scale commercially, the silk glands of the worm being also 

 used for the preparation of gut for fishing lines. 



Other Saturnias. 



Saturnia grotei (Plate 13, fig. 2), Saturnia lindia, Saturnia anna, and 

 Saiurnia hockingii are so closely allied to each other that it seems most 

 convenient to consider them together, as very little is known about any 

 of them. Saiurnia grotei (Moore P. Z. S. 1859, p. 265, pi. 65, fig. 2, 

 and Butler, 111, Typ. Lep. Het. B. M. V, p. 61, pi. 94, figs. 3 and 4) 

 is represented in the Museum collections by specimens from Kulu and 

 Sikkim ; Saturnia lindia (Moore, Tr. E. Soc. (3), ii, p. 424, pi. 22, fig. 3, 



1864 66) by specimens from the N.-W. Himalayas; Saturnia anna 



(Moore, P. Z. S. 1 865, p. 818) by specimens from Sikkim ; while Saturnia 

 hockingii (Moore, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 818 and Butler, 111, Typ. Lep. 

 Het. B. M. VII, p. 39, pi. 124, figs. 2 and 3), described from Kulu, is 

 not represented in the Museum Collection. It should be noticed for the 

 fact that Moore records that the cocoon, which is formed "under 

 stones, " is " pyriform, dark brown, hard, pointed, and lax at the upper 

 end." The specimen from which the figure of S. grotei was taken has 

 been identified by Mr. H. J. Elwes. 



LCEPA KATINKA, Westw. 



Eour species of the genus Loepa have been described from India, 

 viz. Zoepa katinka (Westw., Cab. Or. Ent., p. 25, pi. 12, fig. 2, 1848), 

 found in Sikkim, at an elevation of from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, and also 

 in Assam; L. miranda (Moore, Trans. Ent. Soc, Lond. (3), ii, p. 424, 

 1864—66) from Sikkim; L. sikkima (Moore, P. Z. S., 1865, p. 818) 

 from the hot valleys in Sikkim ; L. sivalica (Hutton, Journ. A. H. Soc. 

 Ind., Ill, 1871, p. 125, and Moore, Wardle's Wild Silk, 1881, p. 7) from 

 Mussoorie. In the Indian Museum are specimens, determined by Mr. 



